About Speaker

Jennifer Dewees is a construction industry strategist and changemaker with more than 25 years of experience driving innovation across policy, technical practice, and industry culture. As President of the Maryland Center for Construction Education & Innovation (MCCEI), she grew the organization from $400K to $2M in five years and launched initiatives that bridge education, industry, and community to modernize how the built environment operates.

Jennifer co‑founded the Maryland Apprenticeship Connector (MAC) to modernize talent pathways and led the Baltimore Modular (BMod) initiative to build a replicable ecosystem for offsite construction, housing innovation, and community revitalization. She spearheaded Maryland’s first construction management, industry‑aligned high school CTE curriculum in partnership with Howard Community College, aligning K–12 education with evolving workforce needs.

Centered on breaking down silos, Jennifer designs and leads cross‑sector partnerships that address workforce challenges while reshaping policy, project delivery, and jobsite culture. Her initiatives integrate mental health and human‑centered practices into construction through collaborations with NAMI, Kennedy Krieger, and the University of Maryland School of Social Work. She also champions expanded access and leadership opportunities for women, including launching the Caroline Center’s first women‑only apprenticeship readiness cohort.

A two‑time Daily Record Top 100 Women in Maryland honoree, NAWIC Powerhouse Award recipient, Baltimore Business Journal “Women Who Mean Business,” and one of Construction Dive’s Top 33 Women in Construction, Jennifer is a sought‑after speaker at national events including the NAWIC Annual Conference, ABC Annual Conference, World of Modular, Procore Groundbreak, and the Baltimore Together Summit. Her passion is to transform how the industry thinks, builds, and leads so projects and communities become more resilient, inclusive, and effective.